Non-Essential Personnel
"Non-Essential Personnel" is the fifth episode of Season 5, and overall the forty seventh episode of Falling Skies. It was written by Jim Barnes and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. It first aired on TNT July 26th, 2015. It drew 2.33 million US viewers. Plot Summary The 2nd Mass leaves Chinatown en route to what they hope will be the final Espheni battle. Along the way, they encounter a deranged and desperate gunman who takes Weaver hostage. Meanwhile, Tom sets off to rescue Hal from Pope and his dangerous group of survivors. Plot A group of people trapped in a house by skitters. Four of them decide to escape and once outside they are cornered by two skitters. A police Bronco roars up and Pope, along with Anthony, gets out and shoots the skitters down. Afterward, Anthony rescues the group still in the house. When they get back to Pope, the new leader learns that his "right hand man" has designated four of the group as "non essential personnel" and they are told to leave. One of the survivors, Isabella says she is a nurse and can be of use to Pope and his crew. John agrees to let her stay but the other three must leave. She tries to bargain for them to remain but loses. Meanwhile, Tom Mason is following clues that Pope relays via radio transmitter. Weaver and the rest of the 2nd Mass are ambushed by what appears to be one gunman who has the drop on the convoy. He demands a truck and half their ammunition or he will start blowing up vehicles every 30 seconds. Weaver goes into talk and once inside he gets shot. Anne comes up to make sure he is alright and Weaver tells her to play along with the lone gunman as he has a wife and two kids he is trying to protect. Isabella, after convincing Pope that he can use her, gets her first tasking. She must patch up Hal after Pope cuts him so Tom can hear him scream. Tom Mason tells Pope, "I will kill you." Back at the ambush, Weaver tries to get into the gunman's head, but this man is off with the fairies and not to be reasoned with. Anne, reluctantly, orders half the ammo to be placed by the door. She tells the rest of the troops that they will double back later and get Weaver. Isabella patches Hal Mason up and he tells her that it will not take Pope long to realize that she is not really a nurse. He also tells Isabella that he knows why she fought to keep her friends with Pope's crew, "you care", he says and tells her that it will not take long for his captor to figure that out as well. A giant hornet attacks the camp and one of the new recruits, Ken is injured. Isabella begins to treat the man when Pope asks if he can still fight. "I don’t know" she starts to reply and before she can finish her sentence Pope shoots the man dead. Mason continues his frustratingly slow journey to get Hal back and has another vision from the Dornia. Appearing as Rebecca once more, the creature tells Tom that if he dies the war and Earth will be lost. Mason refuses to stop going after Hal as he will not let his son die for the "greater good." "I love you," says the Dornia Rebecca, "you’re not her," replies Tom as he leaves to rescue his son. Weaver tries to overpower the ambusher and looses. Later, while the gunman is in another room talking to his family, Weaver gets his hands lose. He asks for water and when the man gives him a drink Weaver grabs the pistol off the other man's belt. Both men stand facing each other with weapons at the ready when Maggie and Ben enters through the window in. After a short tense stand off, Weaver talks the man down and tells him they can help. He reveals that he and Anne lost kids, as he surmised the gunman has, and he explains that they are there for him as they, the 2nd Mass, were for Weaver when he was found. His speech calms the distraught father and he shows Weaver what was in the other room. His family are all dead and in body bags. Weaver gets the mans name, being Marty, and convinces him to join the 2nd Mass. Hal gives a very similar speech to Isabella, about "being there" and this was why she decided to release Tom's son rather than just escape. Back at the camp, Tom shoots Pope in the face as Hal and Isabella start to drive away. As Tom waits for another shot at John, the giant hornet that attacked the camp earlier comes back and grabs Mason; lifting him up and flying away. Hal and Isabella get away and later a wounded Pope, the shot grazed his cheek, questions Anthony about where Hal is. Other Cast Co-Starring * Michael Smith as Rob * Terry Lewis as Drew * Michelle Sabat as Beth * Noel Johansen as Ken * Nico Amoroso as Pope Crew Member Uncredited * Jon Johnson as Jon * D Harlan Cutshall as Butterfield * Zack Daniels as Zack * Greg Zach as Franks * Michael Arnold as Chaos * Jy Harris as Streaks * Chad Riley as Lawrence Biggs * Lia Lam as Pope's Gang Member * Robel Zere as Pope's Gang Member * Jeff Aro as Pope's Gang Member Deaths * Rob's Wife * Ken Significant Events *Tom shoots Pope twice, once in the abdomen and once on the right side of Pope's face. *Anthony's first sighting of a Black Hornet. *Tom is captured by a Black Hornet. *The Dornia reveals they are making a weapon that will end the war, that only Tom can use. It also reveals the Espheni are planning their own endgame. *Introduction of Isabella. *Introduction of Marty. Tom's History Lesson No lesson was given. Outside References The bowling alley during this episode is named "Lois Lanes" which is a reference to Superman's love interest Lois Lane. This may be drawing more than one parallel to Superman. Tom Mason is Superman archetype, trying to save his son from Lex Luthor (a character who is also known for his distinctive baldness). Errors *Hal Mason tells Isabella that his has a thirteen year-old brother, however it was said in "Find Your Warrior" by Tom Mason that Matt was fourteen years-old. Photos 11781630_1207159475976766_6733365372875175088_n.jpg 11745415_1207089069317140_7455270853158284926_n.jpg Category:Season 5 Category:Season 5 Episodes Category:Episodes